Methods and systems for manifest generation

Abstract

Systems and methods are described herein for providing a manifest of a plurality of manifests to a client device. A computing device may receive a stream of content from other components of the content distribution network, such as from a content packager. The content may include ad insertion points for insertion of various advertisements. The computing device may also receive off-band instructions from other components of the content distribution network. The off-band instructions may include a single set of instructions, which may be capable of indicating particular subsets ad types, lengths, and the like, for insertion into the content for generating a plurality of different manifests. The computing device may generate a plurality of manifests based on the content and the off-band instructions. SSAIs of the content distribution system may select one of the plurality of manifests for sending to a requesting client.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a computing device of a content distribution network, an off-band communication corresponding to a content;   generating, by the computing device and based on the off-band communication, a plurality of manifests corresponding to the content, wherein at least one manifest of the plurality of manifests includes an ordering or timing of content segments of the content and advertisement segments different compared to other manifests of the plurality of manifests; and   sending, by the computing device, the plurality of manifests.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the content comprises a Free advertising-supported streaming television (FAST) channel. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of manifests are sent to one or server side ad inserters (SSAIs) of the content distribution network. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the off-band communication comprises a SCTE 224 communication. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the off-band communication is generated based on channel provider information, scheduling information, content delivery platform information, region information, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 determining, by the computing device and based on the off-band communication, the plurality of manifests to be generated based on the channel provider information, the scheduling information, the content delivery platform information, the region information, or the combination thereof.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 selecting the advertisement segments, for each of the plurality of manifests, based on the off-band communication.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein, the advertisement segments for at least a first manifest of the plurality of manifests are different than the advertisement segments for at least a second manifest of the plurality of manifests. 
     
     
         9 . A computing device comprising:
 one or more processors;   memory; and   a set of computer-executable instructions stored in the memory that, when executed by the one or more processors; cause:
 receiving, by the computing device, an off-band communication corresponding to a content, wherein the computing device is of a content distribution network; 
 generating, by the computing device and based on the off-band communication, a plurality of manifests corresponding to the content, wherein at least one manifest of the plurality of manifests includes an ordering or timing of content segments of the content and advertisement segments different compared to other manifests of the plurality of manifests; and 
 sending, by the computing device, the plurality of manifests. 
   
     
     
         10 . The computing device of  claim 9 , wherein the content comprises a Free advertising-supported streaming television (FAST) channel. 
     
     
         11 . The computing device of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of manifests are sent to one or server side ad inserters (SSAIs) of the content distribution network. 
     
     
         12 . The computing device of  claim 9 , wherein the off-band communication comprises a SCTE 224 communication. 
     
     
         13 . The computing device of  claim 9 , wherein the off-band communication is generated based on channel provider information, scheduling information, content delivery platform information, region information, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The computing device of  claim 13 , wherein the set of computer-executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause:
 determining, by the computing device and based on the off-band communication, the plurality of manifests to be generated based on the channel provider information, the scheduling information, the content delivery platform information, the region information, or the combination thereof.   
     
     
         15 . The computing device of  claim 9 , wherein the set of computer-executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause:
 selecting the advertisement segments, for each of the plurality of manifests, based on the off-band communication.   
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a set of computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause:
 receiving, by a computing device of a content distribution network, an off-band communication corresponding to a content;   generating, by the computing device and based on the off-band communication, a plurality of manifests corresponding to the content, wherein at least one manifest of the plurality of manifests includes an ordering or timing of content segments of the content and advertisement segments different compared to other manifests of the plurality of manifests; and   sending, by the computing device, the plurality of manifests.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the content comprises a Free advertising-supported streaming television (FAST) channel. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of manifests are sent to one or server side ad inserters (SSAIs) of the content distribution network. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the off-band communication comprises a SCTE 224 communication. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the off-band communication is generated based on channel provider information, scheduling information, content delivery platform information, region information, or a combination thereof.